Man who raped, imprisoned and strangled woman in horror attacks is jailed

A man who raped, strangled, and imprisoned a woman in Knutsford has been jailed. Lee Jones at first claimed his "horrendous" behaviour was part of consensual sex but eventually admitted a series of crimes and is now starting a 12 year prison sentence.

Jones, 46, admitted raping the victim of two occasions. On the first, he strangled her before motioning to a knife on the floor and making threats to her family.

He was arrested on February 26 after the terrified victim messaged family members asking them to call the police for her. In a statement, Cheshire Constabulary said: "When interviewed in custody he claimed that the sex he had with the victim was consensual.

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"Jones also claimed that the strangulation marks on her neck were a result of consensual sex. However, following a thorough investigation carried out by detectives at Macclesfield CID, Jones was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, a number of offences."

At Chester Crown Court, Jones, of Cross Flatts Street in Leeds, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and also admitted charges of sexual assault by penetration, false imprisonment involving a bladed article and causing actual bodily harm via strangulation. He has now been jailed for 12 years, and given an extended six years on licence. He was also to adhere to the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and sign the sexual offenders’ register for life.

Detective Constable Andrew Cole, who led the investigation at Macclesfield CID, said: “Lee Jones subjected his victim to a horrendous level of sexual and physical abuse. Thanks to the bravery of the victim in disclosing what Jones had subjected to her to, he has been brought to justice for